Fragile Heart
by 1tskillingm3
Summary: Izaya's twin Psyche who has never left his house since he was very young ventures out for the first time and becomes attached to the gruff blond he meets. Better summery inside. Psyche/Shizuo and Izaya/Shizuo... I suppose it could also be Psyche/Izaya if you squint but not really. The Cover picture for this can be found on my DA account
1. Chapter 1

**_Izaya and Psyche are twins. However, a terrible bout of sickness when they were little has left Psyche with a weak heart. Worried by the fact that another round of sickness or too much excitement could kill Psyche he was kept home his whole life while Izaya went out and experienced the world. Psyche has never considered venturing outside at all… that is until one night his brother doesn't come home. High school era Psyche/Shizuo, Izaya/Shizuo, and a little hinted Psyche/Izaya. Not a Tsugaru fic._**

* * *

Psyche sniffled into his pillow, his faded red eyes fixed on the door. He longed to reach for his headphones and block out the creaks and groans of the house, but if he did he might miss the sound of Izaya coming home. Faintly, Psyche could hear the sound of his little sisters soft breathing as they slumbered peacefully next door. He envied them. However, he had never been able to sleep well without his twin beside him. It had always seemed a natural thing to have close physical contact with Izaya, but he got the impression that brothers didn't usually sleep together in the outside world. For instance last time his parents had even been home they'd given them a disgusted look when they'd wandered in and found the two of them in bed together one morning.

"The two of you are too old to be sharing a bed." Sniffed their mother.

"Oh but mother dearest, that's not _all_ we share, ne Psyche?" Izaya had teased eyes glittering mischievously as he draped himself over his twin. Psyche had been confused, clearly he didn't understand what his brother was hinting at judging by his parents horrified looks, but they_ did_ share most of their things with each other so he hesitantly agreed. After they'd scampered into Izaya's room down the hall(which was really just there to hold all the extra stuff Izaya had gathered and sometimes where Izaya stayed when he was sick)his brother had leaned up against the door and guffawed.

"Did you see their faces?" he had said with glee.

"Yes… but why were they looking at us like that?" asked Psyche hesitantly.

"Hmm? Ah, because the outside world thinks that anytime two people share a bed together then they must be doing indecent things when no one is around~" Izaya had practically giggled.

"Well that's silly." Psyche had said joining in his brother's laughter. He wasn't sure what "indecent things" were supposed to be, but he and Izaya never did anything but sleep and chat in bed so that was still an incorrect assumption. After that they had spent a while joking about how odd humans could be.

Now, Psyche shifted restlessly in the bed, distinctly aware of the cold space next to him that Izaya usually occupied. The school had called again and left a message reporting that Izaya had been absent from school all day. Since his brother hadn't been home either, and he hadn't called like he usually did if he was going to be out late, and he _still_ wasn't back yet… He knew he was probably over reacting with all his quite fretting. Izaya would tease him for days if he knew, but the outside world seemed like such an intimidating place full of sickness and frightening people.

There was a knock on the front door.

Psyche didn't think he had ever moved so fast. By the time he realized that Izaya wouldn't have bothered with knocking Psyche had already started to open the door. Cautiously he peered outside.

"Psy~che~! Long time no sushi!" Simon greeted him grinning.

"Hello Simon," said Psyche smiling and bowing shyly, Simon was one of the few people he had met from the "outside"… mostly due to the fact that he delivered otoutoro most any time of the day or night.

"Is I~Za~Ya here, hmm?" asked Simon holding up a sushi box.

"Oh, did he order that?" asked Psyche smiling feeling a sense of relief; if his brother had ordered himself otoutoro then he must be coming home soon.

"Hmm! Yes, but I~Za~Ya did not come for it in afternoon. No sushi no good! Yes sushi, no more fights with Shi~Zu~O." hummed Simon counting the money that Psyche had handed to him.

"I- What?!" Psyche squeaked his heart hammering, "Ni-san was in a fight?"

"It's no good! You tell him to eat more sushi and not destroy so much." Said Simon nodding to himself.

"I- I will." Said Psyche hesitantly closing the door. He clutched the sushi box to his chest and slid down the door. Something was very wrong. Izaya would never just forget his otootoro. It was already midnight and he knew his bother didn't have any close friends that he would just stay the night with. He must be in trouble.

Psyche got up with determination and grabbed Izaya's extra coat. The outside was a dangerous and scary place that he hadn't ventured into since he was very small, but if Izaya was in trouble there was no way he was just sitting at home. If Izaya couldn't come home then Psyche would just have to bring him home himself. Taking a shaky breath, Psyche stepped out the door.

* * *

Izaya hummed happily as he walked down the street with his hands in his pockets. He had spent the morning pissing off Shizuo and having him chase him all around the city instead of school. Snickering, Izaya remembered the look of the protozoan's face when he realized that he had missed almost the entire day of school chasing him. Of course then he tried to smash him with a near by car but whatever. Totally worth it… or it would have been if he hadn't made Izaya late for his meeting with Shiki. He didn't even get to pick up his ototoro! Izaya pouted at the thought. That blond idiot, he should have cut him up a little more. Shiki had kept him extra late because of his tardiness. Still, watching the humans in the Yukusa was always fascinating so he supposed he didn't mind _that_ much.

Absently he turned his phone back on and was unsurprised by the torrent of messages that assaulted him. They were probably all from Psyche. Izaya grinned to himself. Psyche was one of his favorite humans, his lack of contact with the outside world always caused him to have the most amusing reactions to things. No doubt he had fretted himself into quite a state by now over the fact that Izaya had purposefully been ignoring his calls and staying out so late. He was sure to be clingy and tearfully when he finally returned. Izaya grinned at the thought and hurried home with an extra bounce in his step.

* * *

_**I have a vague idea of where I am going with this story, but it's still and the making and unfortunately I can never predict if I am going to stick with a story or when I am going to drop it... hopefully I shall not drop this one. I have never used FanFiction before so I am still learning. I am also not sure what the final rating of this will be. It could very easily go either way. It'll depend on my mood.**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**I was debating whether or not to move this story's rating up to M but really I think this will be the only chapter that might need it and nothing actually happens so... If I change my mind I think I'll write the other parts as side stories because I'd really like this one to remain T if possible... but what can I say? I am a slave to my dear characters and they themselves are not perfectly holly and virtuous if we're being honest here. Ah well, enjoy!**_

* * *

Psyche clutched Izaya's coat tightly around himself as he wheezed quietly. Their family had gone to great lengths all his life to make the environment within the house as stable for his health as possible. Meaning, among other aspects, the temperature had undergone very little change through the seasons. Now the very air, which might have been considered crisp to someone used to it, felt sharp and painful in his lungs and stung at the edges of his skin and senses.

Pausing to catch his breath for what must have been the 15th time, Psyche peered tearfully around himself looking for any sign of Izaya. There was no one but strangers(most of whom, when they caught sight of him, hurriedly went about their business making sure not to make eye contact with the Izaya-look-a-like. Psyche would learn later that this was because his brother was already making a reputation for himself) Slowly, Psyche began to realize the stupidity of the move he was trying to pull; He was alone at night, without his phone, it was quite cold, he was in a city he'd never stepped foot in before, with no notion of how to go about finding Izaya, his fragile body was already reacting poorly to this sudden introduction of a new environment, and to top it all off he realized he didn't remember the way back home. Psyche started coughing into his sleeve as his wheezing got worse and the shaking in his limbs told him that he either needed to find Izaya fast or get inside somewhere warmer.

"Oi! You're that informant, aren't you?" came a gruff voice that Psyche realized with shock was addressing him. None of his family members had any difficulties telling him and Izaya apart (their personalities were so vastly different and immediately apparent) so it didn't occur to him that this person though he was his brother.

"Pardon?" asked Psyche, not entirely sure what an informant was. All strangers were slightly frightening to Psyche, but these men sent his weak heart pounding in his chest. Every part of his body screamed 'danger! danger!' as he took in the sight of the five large thugs that were slowly backing him into a nearby ally.

"'Pardon?' he say's! What are you? So princely poof?" leered one of the men, "But really, we wanted to talk to you about some of that shit you've been doing lately."

"Sorry, I really don't know you, I think you have the wrong person." Said Psyche honestly while trying to suppress another bout of more violent coughing that threatened to take hold of him. Something told him that showing weakness in front of these people could detrimental to his chances of survival. As it turned out, it didn't make much of a difference.

"The fuck? Did Shiki really hire such a pansy as his informant?" scoffed the man who seemed to be the leader grabbing Psyche by the front of his coat and lifting him off his feet. Psyche's eyes widened in undisguised terror and the men guffawed gleefully, "Look at his face! Little shit looks like he's going to piss himself!"

"Please let go! I- I really don't know you!" cried Psyche, his breath was becoming erratic and the numbness in his fingers and the black spots at the edges of his vision signaled that he was in danger of having an attack if he didn't find a way to stabilize his body soon.

"Look at him! He's crying!" crowed one of the other men, "How did you get Shiki to get so protective over you, huh? Did you let him fuck you? Is that how you did it you little faggot?"

"Must have, look at him! He's just like a girl!" jeered one of the others.

"No- I just- stop!" Psyche wasn't sure what was going on but he was suddenly no longer hanging in the air but rather pressed to the ally floor with greedy hands pawing at him and he didn't like it one but and why oh why wasn't anybody coming to help him? The men weren't being quite with their constant jeering.

"Hey come now! If you're already whoring your ass around you should share some with us!" crooned the one in from squeezing said area. The tears that had been brimming at the edges of his eyes for a while now finally started to stream freely down Psyche's cheeks.

"Yeah!" agreed the others as hands started to creep their way under his cloths. Shame and panic weld up inside Psyche as he did nothing to stop them. But his limbs were weak, his vision blurry and doubled, and the pain in his chest confirmed only extenuated the fact that his heartbeat was growing irregular.

"Stooop!" Psyche managed to scream at the top of his lungs though he paid for it, both in how one of the thugs slapped him across the face and the sharp pain through his chest followed by an increased difficulty in breathing.

"Somebody gag him." Muttered one of them and Psyche realized abruptly that he was most likely not going to live through this. The only question was whether his heart or his lungs stopped working first.

"To bad though; he seems like he'll be a screamer." Laughed another loudly grabbing a handkerchief and preparing to stuff it in his mouth.

"You want to hear screaming, hah?" thundered a new voice. All the men stiffened for a moment but the relaxed as they saw it was just some blond highschooler.

"Get lost brat, the adults are playing." Geered one mockingly. Psyche locked eyes with the new comer blearily and saw his eyes widen at the sight of his tear streaked face.

"I said scram kid!" the thug snarled taking a swing at the blond, who, to Psyche's surprise, caught the fist with no effort.

"You bastards! You want me to scram and yet you try and kill me hah? You want to hurt that shitty flee just because you enjoy watching people suffer hah? You little shits!" screamed the blond throwing the thug clear across the street. The others in the group backed up slightly wide eyed, however if they were thinking about running they had no chance of it for in a moment the blond was on them. Psyche watched in awe as those who had sought to harm him were so utterly defeated.

"Oi flea, get your weak ass off the ground." Barked the blond advancing on Psyche.

"A-are you an angel?" breathed Psyche staring at his savior who's blond hair seemed almost halo'd in the glow of the city lights.

"An ang-?! The fuck flea? Did those assholes hit your head or something?" choked the blond. Psyche noticed that he was speaking to him with a lot of familiarity. Perhaps it was a 'thing' in the outside world? The blond was snarling at him again abruptly yanking him to his feet, "Why the hell are you staring at me like that?!"

"I was just-" Psyche began, the sudden intake of breath as he was moved triggering a bout of violent coughs, that once he started he couldn't seem to stop. Now that the adrenaline was no longer pumping through his vains, all the exaution and cold seemed to crash down upon him at once. He would have fallen if the shocked blond hadn't been holding him up. He coughed until blood and other fluids started to coat his hand.

"O-oi Izaya- what the hell…?" stuttered the blond sounding uncertain. Psyche's head snapped up at his brother's name and he opened his mouth to try and ask him if he knew where he was only to have another wave of coughs rack through him. Hands hesitantly tilted his head back up, golden brown eyes widening at the sight of blood running down his mouth before settling upon his pale pink eyes, "No… you're not the flea… your eyes are different and you're all sick and skinny…"

"Y-yes…" Psyche managed to wheeze between coughs, "Lost… c-can't find Iza-nii…"

"Iza-nii?" echoed the blond in surprise, "… never know the bastard had a little brother…"

Psyche tried to focus on what the other teen was saying but it was getting harder and harder to breath. His vision swam and blackness was enveloping his world rapidly. He heard the blond shouting at him and the world seemed to tip. Before he lost consciousness he felt strong arms wrap around him and cradle him safely.

* * *

Izaya knew there was something wrong the moment he got back to the house. For one, his entire family was a little nuts about trying to minimize the amount of foreign elements that were introduced to the house, yet here was his front door standing wide open. Tension immediately shot through Izaya and he gripped his flick-blade tightly in his pocket. Stepping cautiously through the door into the dead silent house Izaya's eyes fell upon a box of ootoro careless left on the table… No Orihara he knew would be so flippant with their favorite treat.

"Psyche?! Mairu?! Kururi?!" called Izaya slightly panicky, no longer caring if intruders were still here. Hell, they had invaded into his precious territory and Izaya planned to slice the to bits anyways… He took the stairs two at a time and nearly crashed right into the two sleepy twins.

"Nii-san why are you shouting at such an ungodly hour?" yawned Mairu.

"…Welcome… (welcome home)." muttered Kururi rubbing her eyes.

"Are you two alright?" demanded Izaya quickly grabbing each of them by a shoulder and looking them over, "what happened?"

"Nii-san… scaring… (Nii-san is scaring me)." Frowned Kururi tilting her head.

"You're being a freak again Nii-san. Nothing has happened. We've all been sleeping for goodness sake." Grumbled Mairu.

"No, no something is wrong." Muttered Izaya his momentary relief leaving him as he released his siblings and headed for his and Psyche's room, "Where is Psyche?"

"Psyche?" asked Mairu and Kururi tilted her head in confusion, "isn't he sleeping listening to music?"

"No, nonononono." Muttered Izaya as he searched first that room them their spare room, "He's gone. Why is he gone?"

"Gone?!" choked Mairu as Kururi clutched her twin tightly, "what do you mean 'gone'?"

Izaya barely heard the question as his eyes settled on Psyche's abandoned phone. He should have known. He should have known the moment his twin hadn't come bounding down to greet him. Psyche never slept without him. Psyche never did _anything_ without him. How had this happened? When had his precious control slipped out of his grasp? Izaya was not sure when he had become so secure in Psyche's presence that he started to take it for granted(and wasn't that a stupid thing to do considering his twin's health?)Though nothing else had changed in the house the moment he realized his brother wasn't there it no longer felt like home.

"Mairu, Kururi, stay here. If Psyche comes back call me right away." Said Izaya shortly barely registering their worried agreement before he was back out the door. His information network was just beginning but he would find his brother even if he had to prowl the streets himself. Whether he had been tricked into thinking he needed to leave the safe home they had created together or he had been forcefully taken, Izaya would find him.

* * *

**_I actually have the inspiration for more on this chapter... and possibly a few pictures... hmm... it's a long weekend let's see what happens!_**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Shizuo watched the sun creep over horizon from the window of his friend Shinra's window. Last night, when the boy who claimed to be Izaya's little brother had collapsed Shizuo hadn't known quite what to do. Loath as he was to show anything like kindness towards the slippery flea, this boy who looked just like him seemed innocent. He couldn't seem to protect himself like the flea could- Shizuo grit his teeth as he thought of the scene he walked in on- and there was no telling what would happen to him if left to fend for himself. Not to mention there seemed to be something wrong with him. Shizuo may have been an idiot but he knew what someone in need of medical attention.

There was no way he could just leave the kid there.

Taking Izaya's look-alike to the hospital was out of the question; Shizuo and the flea got into fights far to often for anyone to believe him if he said he wasn't responsible for whatever was wrong with the kid. He would probably end up in jail or something. So instead he headed for his friend Shinra's house whose father was a highly skilled doctor. Upon seeing Shizuo standing at his door carrying Izaya's look-alike Shinra didn't even ask questions, just ushered him inside where his father took the fragile boy from his arms and father and son had quickly hurried with him into the back to tend to him.

Shizuo had wanted to leave after that but it just didn't seem to be right… plus he kinda wanted to know who the kid was… and loath as he was to admit it he also kinda wanted to make sure the kid was going to be alright goddammit… So he had stayed for the rest of the night jiggling his leg impatiently and glaring out the window. Celty had come wandered out at some point to interrogate him about what had happened but that was all.

"Oh hey, you're still here." Said Shinra in surprise as he finally tiredly emerged from the back room.

"How is he?" asked Shizuo gruffly without beating around the bush.

"He's stable," sighed Shinra tiredly rubbing his forehead, "Though I have never seen a person in his condition live this long, so who knows when that could change again… Another attack like this one will probably do him in."

"Condition? What's wrong with the flea's little brother?" asked Shizuo his grip tightening upon the couch.

"Izaya's little brother?" repeated Shinra looking surprised, "Is that who he is?"

"That's what he said. Anyway, he sure as hell isn't the flea." Said Shizuo crossly, he quickly gave the shortened version of the story he had told Celty.

"Hmm… I had wondered why you seemed so concerned." Smiled Shinra brightly, "I had thought you might finally be over your state of denial, but this works too~"

"Whose in denial, hah?" snarled Shizuo not fully understanding the implications of what Shinra had just said but knowing that they were ridiculous regardless.

"But it does make sense," continued Shinra ignoring him, "I did think it was impossible that Izaya could constantly being running around with you if he was really in this condition… that and this kid is so pale he can't have been out in the sun for years."

"Not out in the sun for years? What, you mean the flea has had his kid brother locked up in his house all these years and that's why we've never seen him? That's so fucked up…" muttered Shizuo.

"Yes, well, I can see why though; the boy's physical health is terrible." Sighed Shinra shaking his head, "His heart is a bit small and it appears quite weak and unstable. As a result it seems he has developed a case of Pulmonary Edema-"

"Use smaller words idiot!" barked Shizuo in irritation.

"Mini heart attacks cause fluids- mostly blood- to leak into his lungs. His lungs starts to spasm which causes all the coughing which- as you saw is quite violent- actually can make the leaks worse." Explained Shinra.

"That sounds-" Shizuo struggled with his words for a moment, "pretty serious… is he going to…?"

"I don't know." Said Shinra gravely, "I know for a fact that he would have died tonight if you had brought him to the hospital instead of here. Even with all my father's skill he still wouldn't have made it if Celty hadn't been able to temporarily close the leaks with her shadows."

"…Dammit." Muttered Shizuo though he wasn't sure who or what he was supposed to be cursing. Damn the sickness. Damn the flea for having this sweet innocent brother that he couldn't seem to leave alone. Damn himself for caring about someone who it seemed was doomed to die.

"Well I suppose I should call Izaya so he doesn't worry…" said Shinra a little awkwardly.

"Tch, as if the flea has enough of a heart to worry about someone other then himself." Muttered Shizuo.

"Anyway, Izaya's mystery little brother should be waking up soon, you're welcome to go into the back and see him if you'd like to." Said Shinra with a smile ignoring his comment.

"Who'd want to?" Shizuo shot back in irritation.

"You, apparently." Grinned Shinra running out of the room before Shizuo could throw his coffee table at him.

"Damn it…" muttered Shizuo punching a sizable dent in the wall instead knowing Shinra was right. Growling to himself Shizuo stomped back to the room. He paused at the doorway as he took in the sight of the form laying on the bed connected to all sorts of monitors. Izaya's little brother really was extremely pale and fragile looking Shizuo realized. He felt panic shoot through him for a second; he really did look exactly like his brother and for a short moment Shizuo forgot he wasn't looking at Izaya laying there so weak and with a probably fatal disease. But then the moment past and Shizuo reminded himself that he wouldn't care even if Izaya was. Still… he couldn't help but wonder if Izaya also looked so innocent while he slept. No, he decided, little bastard probably wore an evil smirk even in his dreams as he thought of all the lives he was going to screw with next.

Black eyelashes fluttered ever so slightly before opening to reveal soft pink eyes. Shizuo felt rooted to the ground as they finally focused on him after a brief moment of confusion familiar features changed into a foreign- sweet – expression.

"You're the kind mister who saved me before, did you bring me here?" he asked with the most trusting expression Shizuo had ever seen on a person. He nodded mutely wondering how on earth this person and flea could even be related.

"Thank you." Said the boy earnestly.

"Don't worry about it," mumbled Shizuo before fixing him with a determined expression, "You, what's your name? you said that you were Izaya's little brother earlier but I've never heard the flea talk about his family before."

"Yes, my name is Psyche Orihara. I am not surprised Iza-nii doesn't talk about me… he's very weird about the things he reveals to his humans and since I never go outside there is no reason he would have to." Said Psyche shrugging with a fond smile as he tried to sit up. Something tugged painfully in Shizuo's chest as he watched him pause half way up to catch his breath and wince as his free hand clutched over his heart.

"Is it because you're sick?" asked Shizuo settling in the chair next to him cautiously.

"Hmm?"

"The reason you don't go outside."

"Oh, yes. Thank you again for bringing me here. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't." said Psyche absentmindedly brushing his bangs back from his face.

_You would have died you idiot,_ thought Shizuo his heart clenching painfully as he remembered Shinra's words, _that's what would have happened._

"Why were you even out there if you knew it was so dangerous for you?" asked Shizuo gruffly instead.

"Oh, that…" said Psyche his face falling and turning worried, "Iza-nii never came home yesterday and he wasn't picking up his calls. Both Simon and those mean men from before said some stuff that makes me think Iza-nii might be in trouble but… I-I- c-couldn't f-f-find him!"

"Whoa! Hey don't start crying!" said Shizuo panicking slightly. How does one go about comforting the younger brother of your worst enemy?, "Izaya is a slippery little flea, I am sure that whatever happened he is just fine."

"R-really?" asked Psyche staring at him with such a hopeful, desperate, look in his tearful eyes that Shizuo didn't know what to do.

"Y-yeah." Replied Shizuo tearing his eyes away from his flushed face. _Get yourself together!_ He scolded himself internally as Psyche got ahold of his crying and calmed down slightly.

"Um… mister?" asked Psyche fidgeting slightly with the blankets on his lap.

"Just… call me Shizuo." Muttered Shizuo, it was weird as hell for someone with Izaya's face to keep speaking to him so formally.

"Okay then Shizuo." Said Psyche slightly happier and Shizuo's heart skipped a beat at being addressed to intimately. Sure, he supposed he had told Psyche to call him that, but he had assumed he would add a –san or even a –kun to it as was customary. Not even his brother called him just 'Shizuo'…. It was weird!, "May I ask you a question?"

"S-sure." Replied Shizuo trying to regain his composure.

"I hope you don't mind me asking but what exactly is your relationship with my brother?" asked Psyche shyly.

"H-hah?!" spluttered Shizuo, if it had been anyone else he would have punched their face in, but Psyche really didn't seem to have any ill will, just innocent curiosity.

"Well, Iza-nii says that when humans feel very connected to each other they give one another pet names… Every time that you talk about brother you always call him 'flea' so I just wondered… are you two very good friends?" asked Psyche curiously as he tilted his head ever so slightly.

"No!" said Shizuo flushing seeming to startle Psyche with his change of tone and volume, Shizuo managed to control himself ever so slightly- a first when it came to talking about Izaya- and tried to speak more levelly, "You're brother and I… we are classmates, and I know him, but we don't always get along so great."

"Oh, I see." Said Psyche nodding thoughtfully as he simply accepted what Shizuo said as truth. Shizuo wasn't sure what to say after that but he was saved the awkwardness by a soft knock on the open door. Both boys looked up to see Shinra's father, Shingen, standing in his lab coat and mask at the door.

"Hmm? Looks like sleeping beauty is up, good that will make this easier. Ah Shizuo-san, I am glad you stayed." Said Shingen happily, his voice slightly muffled by his mask.

"Make what easier?" asked Psyche curiously while Shizuo tried to tell whether or not Shinra's crazy father was up to something again.

"Ah yes, well you see, nobody can seem to find or get ahold of that brother of yours and I really don't recommend sending you to stay home alone in your condition. In fact I will need you somewhere that dear Celty will be willing to come check on your lungs again in a few days. I would offer to let you stay here but there are so many wounded and sick people that come through and in these room that I wouldn't advise it. So…." Said Shingen far to happily and Shizuo decided that he was definitely up to something.

"So?" he growled.

"I was hoping that Shizuo-san would be willing to take you in for a bit…" Shingen held up his hand as both boys started to protest, "Just until your brother is found and we've confirmed that the treatment we gave you is stable."

"Well… I suppose that's okay… Can I leave a message for my sibling's so they don't worry?" asked Psyche uncertainly.

"Shinra already has put several messages through to your brother at both his cell and home phone." Shingen assured him before turning to Shizuo, "So how about it Shizuo-san? Will you help this kiddo out?"

"Tch, dumb flea can't even take care of his little brother." Grumbled Shizuo, but it was mostly for show; he would have been worried like crazy about the Psyche if he gone anywhere else, "Yeah whatever, Psyche can crash with me, my parents won't give a shit."

"Good, it's settled then." Said Shingen clapping his hands together, "I've ordered you a cab since Psyche can't walk all the way to your house and you'd probably want to avoid all the attention you'd get from carrying Izaya's look-alike all through Ikebukoro."

"Damn straight." Muttered Shizuo not even wanting to think about what people like Kadota's little otaku friends would do if they saw something like that. Not to mention that Shizuo himself attracted a fair amount of gang attention for being so strong(mostly Izaya's fault) so a cab was probably a good idea.

"He will still probably have to be carried down stairs." Warned Shingen.

"Whatever, I carried him all the way here already." Shrugged Shizuo standing up.

"Wait no I can walk!" said Psyche hurriedly trying to sit up straighter and going deathly pale when he did before flopping back, "On second thought, maybe not…"

"C'mere you." Chuckled Shizuo fondly, Psyche was just too cute as he pouted for a moment before raising his arms to loop around Shizuo's neck as the blond carefully scooped him up and carried him out.

* * *

**Short Chapter but I figured that was better then no chapter. I haven't decided if the next one should be in Psyche or Izaya's point of view...maybe both if I have the patience for that**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Izaya chucked his knife viciously at the wall. However, the way the wall cracked and the knife quivered in place did little to elevate his frustration. One week. One fucking week and no trace of his twin brother seemed to be in the city. True, Izaya couldn't exactly broadcast that a precious family member of his was missing- he had far to many enemies for that kind of information to get out- but even so he would have thought _something _would have arisen in the information network by now… Or at least a ransom note if Psyche had been kidnapped. But no, it seemed as though his dear twin had simply vanished from the face of the earth.

None of it made sense! Izaya knew his little brother enough to know that if he were out in the real world he would attract a bunch of attention to himself. After week without his dear 'Iza-nii' no doubt Psyche was sniveling and crying for him non-stop… hopefully enough to piss his kidnappers off and make them try and contact Izaya. Then Izaya would make them regret the day they'd ever laid eyes on his little brother.

There was another possible explanation for why no one had seen his little brother. One that sent his heart beating wildly with agony. One that made a little too much sense. After all, it was a _harsh_ winter, and even those without Psyche's health problems were struggling in this weather. If Psyche had been spending these nights outside…

_No. He has to be alive_, Izaya told himself for what seemed like the thousandth time, _If he died like that then someone would have found the body by now. _That didn't stop Izaya from checking and double checking back allies and hospital records for anyone even vaguely of Psyche's description.

Izaya's phone began to buzz.

Pulling it out Izaya ignored the multiple missed calls from Shinra- the docter had been annoyingly persistant lately but Izaya wasn't taking any outside calls until he found Psyche- he looked at the incoming call curiously. It took Izaya a moment to realize why the number was so familiar… though Izaya himself had never called it in his life.

_Shizu-chan…._

Why on earth would the monster be calling _him_ of all people. Maybe after a week of his absence the beast had come to terms with the fact that he enjoyed their chases as much as Izaya. _Maybe he missed him_… No. That was impossible. It was probably just Shinra trying a different method of getting ahold of him. Squashing down that ridiculous pang of longing that had started to arise at the thought of hi- _the_ monster- calling him, Izaya quickly hit '_ignore_' before some ridiculous impulse made him answer the stupid phone. Playing with monsters could come after he'd found his little brother.

Before Izaya had time to close his phone it started ringing again. Izaya's eyes narrowed at the caller ID before picking it up.

"I thought I explained to you I wasn't taking any jobs right now, Shiki-san." Said Izaya with false pleasantness.

"So you did Informant-san. It's just that I discovered a truly… strange story that I thought you might be interested in hearing." Said Shiki mildly.

"An interesting story? I _love_ those~! But as I told you last week I am busy busy busy right now-"

"It's a story about _you_ Informant-san." Said Shiki his voice losing a little of its friendliness, "I thought I told you to tell me if any of my men were not… _cooperating_ with you?"

"…What are talking about Shiki-san?" said Izaya slowly as a frown started to form on his forehead. All of Shiki's men had been absolutely terrified of him so far, "None of you're men have given me any trouble."

"That's not what I am hearing right now," said Shiki coldly, "Apparently these fools have been complaining in a local bar about how they were teaching a little informant faggot in a fur trimmed coat a lesson the other night. Their words, not mine. They seemed to think it was something worth bragging about. Now, if the reason you're not taking jobs right now is because-"

"When did they say this happened?" interrupted Izaya quickly as his knuckles turned white clutching the phone as a terrible thought entered his mind.

"The 21st apparently." Said Shiki slowly, "Should I take it that they weren't talking about you after all?"

"Are they being detained?" asked Izaya already flagging down a cab to head over as a blind fury beginning to spread through him. The 21st was the night Psyche had first disappeared.

"Yes, I take it you want to interrogate them?" asked Shiki already sighing.

"That would be correct." Said Izaya tightly hanging up before he alerted Shiki to anything he may or might not do. He would kill them! If those sick bastards had hurt Psyche then he would slice them into pieces. If his little brother was in less then perfect condition(or at least the way he had left him) when he found him then he would murder any fools who were responsible.

It was good that he was already close to the base because Izaya wasn't sure what he would do if he was allowed to stew in his own violent thoughts for much longer. He quickly tossed some money onto the seat and hurried into the old warehouse. A man was waiting for him and wordlessly guided him into a back room with a large window from which he could see five slightly bruised looking thugs tied to chairs. Shiki sat across from them leafing through papers looking thoroughly unconcerned about the proceedings.

"The boss want's you to watch for a bit." Said the person who'd led Izaya there before leaving to whisper into Shiki's ear. The aged man nodded, his eyes flitting to window before he began speaking.

"So you were telling me about what happened with our informant on the night of the 21st?" prompted Shiki.

"That little slut," sneered the biggest at Izaya who decided immediately that he would be the first to die, "Did he go crying off to you the moment he got away? We barely even played with him! Or did the little shit sulk for a while first?"

"Ah, I think you're confused, Orihara isn't really the crying type." Said Shiki calmly not denying or confirming anything.

"Bull shit," sneered the biggest again making Izaya narrow his eyes, "He was crying his eyes out the other night!"

_You __better__ not have-_

"He kept trying to convince us we had the wrong person the whole time! Seemed to think that'd save him, hah!" the man spat on the ground.

"Though the innocent act _was_ kinda cute," snickered one of the others before scrunching up his face pitifully and mimicking what must have been a parody of Psyche's frightened voice, "_what are you doing?! I don't know what you're talking about! Please stop!"_

_ …These ones are going to die slowly and painfully. _Izaya repeated over and over inside his head.

"Anything else?" asked Shiki calmly, though Izaya could see his eyes sparkling with disgust.

"Yeah! You should really get rid of that slut! Not only is he a coward, but he is also a sick little fuck. Probably going to keel over any day." Said what looked like the youngest of them while the others laughed a murmured in agreement.

"What exactly are you talking about?" said Shiki leaning forward with a frown.

"Oh did we not mention that? Oh well the little fuck started coughing up all this weird shit and then he was having some sort of weird fit and twitching and flopping all over the place-" Izaya swore his heart stopped and the redoubled with panic, "- and then that high schooler carried him off somewhere."

"What high schooler?!" said Izaya no longer able to stop him self as he strode into the room and grabbed the leader by the scruff of the neck.

"Orihara-san, I believe I said to wait outside." Said Shiki sounding annoyed, though Izaya ignored him in lue of shaking the man he was holding even harder.

"I said, _'what high schooler'_?!" repeated Izaya with a snarl.

"I-I- don't' know!" said the thug suddenly looking terrified, "Just some strong as fuck freak! He looked like some kind of host or something! I swear I don't know who he was!"

"A strong as fuck high school student… he wouldn't have been blond would he?" said Izaya slowly his fingers curling around his cell phone.

"Yes! But wait, you should know that… you weren't unconscious yet…" said another thug.

"No… you're not the same person." Said the thug he was holding his eyes widening, "You're eyes are _red_."

"Shiki, I'll let you dispose of this filth. I've got someone I have to go see." Said Izaya abruptly dropping the thug and turning on his heal.

"Of course, I take it you'll be back to work soon?" asked Shiki looking over the doomed thugs with disinterest. Izaya merely hummed noncommittally and strode out the door… after all, he had a monster's den to sneak into.


End file.
